In general, washing machines are home appliances which remove contaminants from clothes or beddings by using the emulsification of detergents, and friction and impact of water flow resulting from the rotation of a washing wing. General washing machines perform the actions of washing and dewatering following the cycles of washing, rinsing and dewatering.
The washing machines are divided into pulsator-type washing machines and drum-type washing machines depending on the manner of washing. The pulsator-type washing machines perform washing and rinsing by rotating only the washing wing, i.e., the pulsator to form the flow of water in a state where the washing tank stops at the time performing the cycles of washing and rinsing. During the dewatering cycle, the pulsator-type washing machines rotate the washing wing and the washing tank together to perform dewatering by separating water from the laundry put into the washing tank by a centrifugal force.
To this end, in general, pulsator-type washing machines include a washing shaft which rotates the washing wing, a dewatering shaft which rotates the washing tank, and a clutch unit which selectively delivers a driving force of the motor to the washing shaft and the dewatering shaft according to the cycles of washing or dewatering.
According to Korean Patent No. 10-1524919, when a brake lever operates in order to selectively deliver the driving force of the motor to the washing shaft and dewatering shaft, a clutch lever rotates, and the clutch lever operates the clutch coupling to move up and down, thereby delivering or stopping the rotation of the motor to the dewatering shaft. In this case, a pressurizing lever installed on the brake lever directly contacts a top end of the clutch lever to operate, thereby allowing the brake lever and clutch lever to rotate. According to this structure, there may be cases where it is difficult to exactly match the rotation track of the brake lever and the rotation track of the clutch lever and operate them. Furthermore, since the two levers rotate and operate being in direct contact with each other, abrasion resulting from the friction may occur.
Additionally, Korean Patent No. 10-1524919 limits the operations of the clutch lever and coupling lever by a first stopper and a second stopper. This limitation to the operation range of the clutch coupling by the cooperation of the first and second stoppers formed in the two levers is slightly instable in terms of the operation of the two levers and linking to the clutch coupling. Furthermore, water may fall into the top of the motor from the washing tank, and this water may directly penetrate into the inside from the top of the motor, thereby causing breakdown of the motor.
Accordingly, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors suggest a driving apparatus for a washing machine which has a lever rotation with a new structure and is capable of efficiently preventing water falling from the top of the motor from penetrating into the motor.